Description
Delightful Christmas Cherry Cheesecake Bars featuring a buttery sugar cookie crust, creamy cheesecake layer, sweet cherry pie filling, and a crunchy toasted almond topping. Perfect for festive gatherings and holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 8.5 ounces Sugar Cookie Mix
- 4 tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter
Cheesecake Layer
- 8 ounces Softened Cream Cheese
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 large Egg
Topping
- ½ can Cherry Pie Filling
- â…“ cup Toasted Sliced Almonds
- Reserved crumbly cookie mixture (about ¾ cup)
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch or 9×13-inch baking pan with foil and lightly coat it with non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
- Make the Crust: In a large bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix and cold unsalted butter. Use a pastry blender to mix until the mixture becomes crumbly. Reserve about ¾ cup of this crumbly mixture for the topping. Press the remaining crumbs firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Bake for 10 minutes and let it cool; the crust may look slightly underbaked but will finish cooking later.
- Prepare Cheesecake Layer: While the crust cools, in a separate bowl, blend the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, and egg until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Layers: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled sugar cookie crust. Carefully spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the cream cheese layer, ensuring good coverage without mixing layers.
- Add Topping: Combine the reserved crumbly cookie mixture with the toasted sliced almonds in a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the cherry pie filling layer to add a crunchy finish.
- Final Bake: Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 40 minutes if using an 8×8-inch pan or 45 minutes if using a 9×13-inch pan until the topping is lightly golden brown.
- Cool and Store: Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then, chill them in the refrigerator for a few hours until set. Store the bars in the refrigerator covered to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Using cold butter in the crust is essential for the crumbly texture.
- Allow the bars to chill adequately for easier slicing.
- These bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For an extra festive touch, consider drizzling melted white chocolate over the cooled bars before serving.
- Use foil with an overhang for easier removal of bars from the pan.
